Visitor records are created by the Secret Service, which is subject to the Freedom of Information Act. But the Bush administration has ordered the data turned over to the White House, where they are treated as presidential records outside the scope of the public records law.

But U.S. District Judge Royce C. Lamberth ruled logs from the White House and Vice President Dick Cheney's residence remain Secret Service documents and are subject to public records requests.

Lamberth refused a second request by CREW pertaining to the Jack Abramoff investigation. CREW wanted the judge to prevent the Secret Service from destroying its copies of visitor logs after tendering them to the White House. Lamberth said he lacked jurisdiction over the request. However,

Because the logs were declared Secret Service records, however, they cannot be destroyed without approval from the National Archives.

in President Clinton's side during the 90's. I had assumed he'd be just like other blowhards and go easy on bush43.

It hasn't been that way at all. This guy seems to be genuinely principled. He's ruled against bushco on several matters, particularly in reigning in Executive Office over-reach. God I'd love to see Addington's face when he hears the decisions handed down.

Not that my take on the Republic is similar to Royce's, but at least he isn't a bought and paid for cad.